When Apple announced its latest iPhone 16 design there was a resounding lack of enthusiasm online (there are only so many ways you can resize a rectangle before it gets a little stale). Playing on the collective underwhelmed response from fans, Samsung has swooped in with a shady ad poking fun at Apple’s generic phone design by giving the brand a taste of its own medicine.
Apple’s iconic ‘Think Different’ campaign arguably birthed some of the best adverts of all time but in recent years Apple has slowly fallen short of its old pioneering ethos, churning out a sea of similar smartphones year upon year. Samsung’s simple yet powerful ad is an ingenious jab at Apple, letting its innovative design speak for itself.
Samsung just made a Think Different ad 💀💀 pic.twitter.com/bYvvatloOWSeptember 15, 2024
In the short, pared-back ad, a sea of generic white smartphones scroll across the screen before being infiltrated by Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip6. Showcasing the dynamic folding capabilities of the Z Flip6, the ad is punctuated by simple text that reads “different” in a font that closely resembles the iconic Garamond serif used in Apple’s ‘Think Different’ ads. Coincidence? I think not.
One of Apple’s greatest criticisms in recent times is its lack of innovative design. While the wider smartphone market continues to explore folding devices and AI, Apple has scarcely switched up its iPhone design, not to mention the tepid offerings of Apple Intelligence feel lacklustre compared to existing alternatives like Google Gemini. Samsung’s crafty ad is a classy critique that lets the uniqueness of its design shine against the competition.
(Image credit: Apple)
As an Apple fan, acknowledging that the brand isn’t innovating at the rate of its competitors is a hard pill to swallow. You only have to look at Huawei’s tri-fold smartphone to see that tech design has transcended the simplicity of a flat rectangular phone and while I’m typically not a fan of brand war marketing (I’m looking at you McDonald’s and Burger King), Samsung’s crafty new ad only reinforces what many fans want. Apple, it’s time to think different again.
